Taiwan Orders Stricter Oversight for Substandard Ships After Cargo Vessel Floods

The 'Aquarius Star,' a Saint Christopher-registered cargo ship, encountered a critical situation when its engine room began flooding approximately 4.3 nautical miles off the coast of Miaoli on the evening of June 4. The nine crew members aboard were safely evacuated. Following the incident, Taiwan's Minister of Transportation and Communications, Wang Kwo-tsai, visited Kaohsiung Port to inspect the maritime disaster response. He emphasized the need for stringent oversight of substandard vessels, particularly those with poor condition, inadequate insurance, or insufficient emergency response capabilities.

The Maritime and Port Bureau reported that the 1140 gross tonnage tanker was empty, carrying only 15 tons of diesel fuel. An emergency response meeting concluded that towing the vessel into port was not advisable due to its water ingress and listing. Instead, the ship was towed to a safe area 38 nautical miles west of Eluanbi, in international waters. The shipowner was instructed to present a disposal plan by the afternoon of June 5. The Bureau is monitoring the vessel's movements and ensuring the owner upholds their responsibilities, with a strong focus on preventing pollution.

Minister Wang Kwo-tsai highlighted the importance of heightened vigilance as the typhoon season approaches. He reiterated the policy of issuing a maritime warning zone one day before a typhoon's landfall and stressed that vessels posing a risk must be managed and, if necessary, removed according to law. He also called for better tracking of vessels frequently operating in western waters and a review of criteria for identifying and expelling such ships to increase their operational costs and reduce their presence.

The Maritime and Port Bureau stated that since October 15 last year, insurance requirements for incoming vessels have been tightened, mandating owner's liability insurance from companies with a BBB international credit rating. Additionally, port state control inspections for "black flag" ships from countries like Mongolia and Sierra Leone have been intensified. These measures have led to a significant reduction in the number of such vessels entering Taiwanese ports.

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It is critical that Taiwan not only spend more on its own defence but also spend smarter. And there is no smarter way Taiwan can deliver deterrence right away than by investing in unmanned systems.